diff --git a/include/ircd/ed25519.h b/include/ircd/ed25519.h
index d5598674c..962d14d87 100644
--- a/include/ircd/ed25519.h
+++ b/include/ircd/ed25519.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class ircd::ed25519::sk
 
 	sig sign(const const_buffer &msg) const;
 
-	sk(const string_view &filename, pk *const & = nullptr);
+	sk(const string_view &filename, pk *const & = nullptr, const bool &create = false);
 	sk(pk *const &, const const_buffer &seed);
 	sk(): key{nullptr, std::free} {}
 };
diff --git a/ircd/sodium.cc b/ircd/sodium.cc
index e2cabf8d7..4d4474ff6 100644
--- a/ircd/sodium.cc
+++ b/ircd/sodium.cc
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ ircd::ed25519::sk::sk(pk *const &pk_arg,
 }
 
 ircd::ed25519::sk::sk(const string_view &filename,
-                      pk *const &pk_arg)
+                      pk *const &pk_arg,
+                      const bool &create)
 try
 :key
 {
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ try
 		filename && fs::exists(filename)
 	};
 
-	if(!exists && !ircd::write_avoid)
+	if(!exists && create)
 	{
 		nacl::throw_on_error
 		{
diff --git a/matrix/homeserver.cc b/matrix/homeserver.cc
index eeab2852d..d97a1c5f5 100644
--- a/matrix/homeserver.cc
+++ b/matrix/homeserver.cc
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ ircd::m::homeserver::key::key(const struct opts &opts)
 }()}
 ,secret_key
 {
-	secret_key_path, &public_key
+	secret_key_path, &public_key, !ircd::write_avoid
 }
 ,public_key_b64
 {